May 26
Habitual
Words
“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will find guilty anyone who misuses his name.”
Exodus 20:7 (NIrV)
Leo leaned perched on a wall during a casual lunch with friends, laughing at a joke someone had made. “Oh my God, that’s hilarious!” he exclaimed, his words tumbling out without a second thought. As the conversation shifted, Leo found himself blurting, “Jesus Christ, that meeting was a disaster,” while recounting his frustrating morning at work.
For Leo, phrases like these had become as natural as breathing. He never stopped to consider their weight or significance—they were just words, after all. But one evening, while scrolling through social media, a post caught his eye. It read: “Would you casually use the name of someone you respect as an expletive? Why treat God’s name any differently?”
The question hit Leo hard. He thought back to his own conversations and cringed. Had he been disrespecting God without even realizing it?
Determined to make a change, Leo resolved to stop using God’s name so carelessly. But breaking the habit was harder than he thought. The very next day at work, an email notification popped up with an urgent task. Frustrated, Leo muttered, “Oh my God,” before catching himself.
He felt a pang of guilt and prayed silently, Lord, I don’t want to misuse Your name. Please help me honor You with my words.
Leo decided to take a practical step by replacing those habitual phrases with more neutral ones. Instead of “Oh my God,” he tried saying, “Oh my goodness,” or “Wow.” At first, he slipped often, but each time, he stopped to reflect and pray for strength.
One Sunday, Leo’s pastor preached on the Ten Commandments, including Exodus 20:7. The pastor explained that God’s name reflects His character, holiness, and authority. “When we misuse His name, we diminish its significance in our lives and to those around us,” the pastor said.
Leo felt his heart stir. He realized that his casual misuse of God’s name wasn’t just a bad habit—it reflected a deeper issue of not fully honoring God in his daily life. He prayed for forgiveness and for a renewed sense of reverence for God.
In the weeks that followed, Leo noticed a shift, not just in his words, but in his attitude. By consciously choosing to respect God’s name, he found himself more mindful of how he lived overall. He began to pray more, read his Bible consistently, and even shared his faith more openly.
One evening, Leo’s friend remarked, “You’ve been different lately—more intentional, I guess. What’s changed?”
Leo smiled. “I realized I wasn’t honoring God the way I should. It started with my words, but it’s changed so much more.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your faithfulness and steadfast love toward us.
Help us to remember Your mighty works and miracles in our lives, and to trust in Your strength and provision. Forgive us for our faithlessness and disobedience, and help us to remain steadfast in our devotion to You.
May we always seek Your face and give You thanks and praise for Your goodness and mercy.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
